Ukraine war latest: Russia 'working to deploy intercontinental missile' (2024)

We've more detail to bring you now on the meeting between South Korea's president and a Ukrainian envoy in Seoul today.

Yoon Suk Yeol expressed hope that the two countries would work out effective ways to tackle the security threat posed by military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, according to a statement released by his office.

Pyongyang recently dispatched around 10,000 soldiers to join Russian forces in combat against Ukraine.

The Ukrainian delegation, led by defence minister Rustem Umerov, also met separately with South Korea's national security adviser Shink Wonsik, and its defence minister Kim Yong Hyun.

During the meetings, Umerov gave an update on the status of the conflict and said he hoped Kyiv and Seoul would strengthen their cooperation.

A statement said the two sides had agreed to continue sharing information on North Korea troops in Russia and any weapons transfers between the two countries.

Russia is still using at least six bomber jets it received from Ukraine 25 years ago, a Ukrainian media outlet has claimed.

Journalists at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty say an investigation revealed the Tu-160 strategic bombers are in active service with the Russian army.

The jets were handed over in 1999 in exchange for clearing Ukraine's debt for imported Russian gas, the outlet said.

The outlet said Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency provided serial numbers of the bombers in service in Russia, which were compared to aviation records and registries.

Sky News cannot independently verify the report.

Pictures of the ballistic missile that Russia used in a strike towards the city of Dnipro this week have been released.

Components of the missile - which prompted international outcry - were shown to a photographer at an undisclosed location.

In the pictures, an investigator of the State Security Service of Ukraine gestures to the various burnt parts of what Kyiv says is the missile.

There was discussion among global observers on whether the projectile fired at Dnipro was an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Russia has taken control of another settlement in eastern Ukraine, its defence ministry has said.

Kremlin forces captured Nova Illinka in the Donetsk region, according to the state-owned TASS news agency.

The settlement is close to the embattled town of Kurakhove, which has been an objective for Russia as its forces accelerate their advance in eastern Ukraine.

Some observers believe that if defences around Kurakhove fall then Vladimir Putin's military will be able to push towards the city of Zaporizhzhia and also swing towards Pokrovsk.

Sky News was not immediately able to verify claims of battlefield advances.

Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, has met with a Ukrainian envoy, his office has said.

Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov is visiting South Korea to ask for weapons aid as his country continues to fight the Russian invasion, according to reports.

There has been renewed interest in the possibility of South Korea sending lethal aid to Ukraine after reports that North Korean troops have been fighting alongside Russian soldiers in the war.

Education SecretaryBridget Phillipson is on a new list of UK officials who are now sanctioned by Russia.

"We stand resolutely behind the Ukrainian people," she told Sophy Ridgewhen asked about the development.

Ms Phillipson, who is now banned from entering Russia, joked: "Well I wasn't planning a holiday to Moscow anyway so I'm not sure it's any great loss."

Former Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba says he has no hope that Donald Trump can deliver a peace deal.

In an interview with Politico, he said that he cannot see Vladimir Putin agreeing to a swift end to the war.

"Putin still believes he can snuff out Ukrainian statehood and crush Ukraine as an independent democracy, and he thinks he's one step away from exposing the West as weak," he said.

Mr Trump's vice president-elect, JD Vance, has suggested that any peace deal would likely involve Ukraine giving up territory to Russia.

But Mr Kuleba, who was foreign minister throughout the full-scale invasion until September, said it was inconceivable that Volodymyr Zelenskyy could accept this.

"The Russians keep the Donbas, they keep Crimea, no NATO membership. Can Zelenskyy sign? He cannot because of the constitution. And because it will be the end of Zelenskyy politically,” Kuleba said.

Eleven people have been injured in various Russian attacks on the Kherson region, Ukrainian police say.

Parts of the region, including the capital Kherson city, were targeted byartillery, mortars, multiple launch rocket systems and drones yesterday.

Among the injured was a59-year-old man who was set upon by a drone in Beryslav on Tuesday morning, police said.

He was taken to hospital with a mine blast injury and gunshot wounds to the head and face.

Later, a 60-year-old man was injured due to a drone dropping an explosive device onto a private property, police added.

He was admitted to hospital with a blast injury, concussion and a gunshot wound to the lower back.

Russian air defence systems downed 22 drones launched by Ukraine overnight, the Russian defence ministry has claimed.

According to the ministry, 10 drones were intercepted over the southern Rostov region, while the rest were destroyed over the Belgorod,Voronezh, Kursk, Bryansk and Smolensk regions.

Ukraine's military, meanwhile, said Moscow's forces launched 89 drones at its territory last night - 36 of which were shot down (see 7.21 post).

Russia is still working to roll out its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile on combat duty, state news agency TASS is reporting.

The RS-28 Sarmat missile, sometimes nicknamed "Satan II", is capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads to strike targets thousands of miles away in the US or Europe.

Its development has been held back by delays and testing issues.

Earlier this year, arms experts said the missile appeared to have suffered a "catastrophic failure" during a test launch, leaving a crater at the launch silo in northern Russia.